Furniture forming machines



June 11, 1963 E. NICHOLS 3,093,169

FURNITURE FORMING MACHINES Filed June 4, 1959 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

IN V EN TOR.

LU THE/2 E NICHOLS A TTORNEYS June 11, 1963 L. E. NICHOLS FURNITURE FORMING MACHINES F iled June 4, 1959 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

LUTHER. E. NICHOLS A TTORNEYS '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 4, 1959 INVENTOR LUTHER. E NICHOLS ATTORNEYS June 11, 1963 E. NICHOLS 3,093,159

FURNITURE FORMING MACHINES Filed June 4, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 5

INVENTOR LUTHER E NICHOLS BY MV W ATTORNEYS June 11, 1963 1.. E. NICHOLS 3,0

FURNITURE FORMING MACHINES Filed June 4, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 F I 7 INVENTOR LUTHER E NICHOLS,

ATTORNEYS June 11, 1963 E. NICHOLS FURNITURE FORMING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 4, 1959 FIG. 8

INVENTOR. LU77-IER E. NICHOLS ATTORNEYS June 11, 1963 L. E. NICHOLS FURNITURE FORMING MACHINES '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed June 4, 1959 FIG. II

SOLENOID INVENTOR. LUTHER E. NICHOLS FIG. [2

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,993,169 FURNITURE FORMING MACHINES Luther E. Nichols, Morristown, Tenn, assignor to Waiters Mfg. Company, Morristown, Tenn, a corporation of Tennessee Filed June 4, 1959, Ser. No. 818,143 Claims. (Cl. 144-41) This invention relates to improvements in furniture forming machines, and more particularly to ripping and grooving machines used for making furniture fronts, such as drawer fronts.

In forming sections of an article of furniture from a single sheet of material, such as plywood, it is desirable that the sections be so cut that they will form a uniform pattern extending over the composite surface. Thus, in forming a series of drawer fronts for an article of furniture, it is desirable that all of these be of matching grain, so as to provide the desired appearance to the finished article.

Articles of furniture vary considerably in their external shape. For example, a series of drawers may be made with the surface thereof either flat, concave, convex, or serpentine. These several contours may .be formed in the sheet before the latter is cut into the respective widths for the several drawer fronts or other sections of the article of furniture. Not only must the composite sheet be cut into the desired widths, but grooves must be formed in the respective sections or fronts to receive the bottom sections of drawers, and it is often desirable to shape the upper and/or lower edges of the respective fronts to provide desired shape and ornamentation thereto. These separate operations usually have required several different machines in order to accomplish the ripping, grooving and shaping actions desired.

The practice of running a single strip of material through several machines not only increases the labor requirements, but it also leads to the possibility of error resulting in unmatched sets. Moreover, different machines are often needed to operate on different types of materials, such as flat, serpentine, etc., thus requiring an abnormally large number of machines to perform the needed operations on the various types of materials customarily encountered in a furniture factory.

One object of this invention is to overcome the objections heretofore noted and to improve the construction and operation of forming machines for articles of furniture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single machine which will perform all of the needed operations in making a set of furniture pieces, such as drawer fronts, by ripping a panel into desired widths, grooving each width at a preset distance from the bottom edge, if desired, and shaping either the top or bottom edge of each section, or both, according to the requirements encountered.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for the automatic sequence of the steps needed in a machine for ripping and forming a series of sections or drawer fronts formed from a single panel, such as a section of veneered material.

These objects may be accomplished according to one embodiment of the invention, by providing a single machine which will perform the work of several different machines. A sheet of suitable material or panel of any desired contour or shape may be moved through the machine and ripped into sections of desired widths, either the same or of varying widths. In making drawer fronts, for example, it is often desired that a set of these be formed of different widths, which will be accomplished automatically :as the panel is moved through the machine.

Each drawer front is provided with a groove in the surface thereof adjacent, but spaced from, the lower edge to receive the bottom panel of the drawer. Very often it is desirable to space the bottom panel at different distances from the lower edge in several of the drawers. It is important, accordingly, that the drawer front be grooved the desired preset distance from the bottom edge and that the grooving be accomplished throughout the desired length of each drawer front, regardless of the contour thereof, which can be accomplished automatically in the construction of this machine.

In ripping a single panel into several sections for drawer fronts or other purposes, it is often desirable that one or both opposite edges of each section be shaped as required for the proper fitting of the several strips, as well as the desired appearance thereof. These operations can be accomplished automatically during the passage of the panel and successive strips through the machine.

The machine is capable of being preset, according to the requirements desired, so as to shift all parts thereof automatically to accomplish the desired results. After setting the controls of the machine, it is only necessary for the operator to feed the panel through the machine successively, starting from one edge thereof, and the machine will automatically perform the needed and desired actions on the panel, without requiring the shifting of the panel to successive machines and with no danger or possibility of confusion as a result of mismatching of the sets of strips formed from the panel.

This embodiment of the invention is set forth in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the complete machine;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough on the line 22 in FIG. 1, with certain-parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section therethrough on the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail side elevation of the scoring head assembly;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the grooving head assembly;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation thereof;

FIG. 8 is a detail horizontal section showing the stop control device in plan;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation thereof, partly in section;

FIG. 10 is a cross section therethrough on the line 1010 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the rotor and switch assembly; and

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view of the control system.

The invention will be described in connection with drawer fronts, which can be formed in numbers from one to four, that are cut from a single panel or sheet of suitable material, such as veneered wood, to provide a matched set of drawer fronts. It is recognized, however, that the invention is not limited to this one application, but may be used wherever it is desired to rip a plurality of sections or strips from a single sheet or board. For example, it may be used in forming table tops.

The operating parts of the machine are supported by a suitable frame structure, comprising upright columns 1 connected together by opposite horizontal side beams 2 and by end beams 3 forming a surrounding framework at the top. A longitudinal intermediate beam or fence is shown at 4 extending between the end beams 3, and a suitable number of cross beams are indicated at 5 that extend between the side beams 2. The upright columns 1 may be connected together intermediate their height as by a surrounding frame structure, generally indicated at 6 (FIG. 2). These parts may be welded or otherwise secured in rigid relation to each other. Moreover, an open framework is shown for clearness of illustration,

3 although enclosing panels may be used thereon, if desired, to cover and protect the operating parts of the machine.

A top plate is indicated at 7, which preferably extends over substantially the entire upper portion of the frame structure as a supporting surface for the panel or sheet to be moved through the machine. Of course, openings of suitable shapes will be provided in the plate 7 in those areas where cutter elements must pass through the plate 7 in order to accomplish their intended functions. Usually, a sheet or panel of veneered wood will be moved through the machine along the plate 7 so that the several operations may be performed thereon. This sheet is illustrated at S in several views of the drawings. The fence 4 serves as a guide against which one edge of the moving panel or sheet may bear as it moves through the machine.

The initial operation is to sever the sheet or panel S into desired widths. This is performed by a rip saw, generally indicated at 8, mounted on a shaft 9, journaled in one end of a swinging frame or support 10. The shaft 9 is driven through belts 11 from a motor 12, suspended from the frame 10 and adjustable to vary the tension of the belts 11 by a hand screw, generally indicated at 13. The motor 12 is heavy, and, in order to minimize the load on the parts, the weight of the motor 12 is partially counterbalanced by a booster cylinder 16 attached to the frame of the machine and to the sup port for the motor 12.

The frame 10 is provided with a hub portion 19 pivotally mounted upon a shaft 20 extending transversely of the machine near one end thereof. The hub portion 19 of the frame 10 may swing freely relative to the shaft 20, and it also may slide lengthwise of the shaft 20 so that the cutting position of the rip saw 8 may be varied to provide for different widths of material. This transverse movement of the frame 10 is brought about by a pneumatic cylinder 21 mounted on the frame of the machine. A piston rod 22 protrudes from the inner end of the pneumatic cylinder 21 and is connected by a bracket 23 to a block structure 24 slidably and rotatably mounted upon the shaft 20 in position to contact the ends of the hub portion 19 of the frame 10. The arrangement is such that the hub portion 19 and the block structure 24 must move together lengthwise of the shaft, but each is free to rotate independently about the shaft 20.

It will be understood, of course, that the width of the drawer front, or other article being formed in the machine, corresponds to the distance between the rip saw 8 and the fence or guide '4. The fence 4- provides a straight wall along which one edge of the sheet or panel being cut may be fed as the panel is brought into cooperative relationship with respect to the various elements of the machine. When the cylinder 21 is actuated so as to move the frame 10 carrying the rip saw 8 closer to the rail 4, the width of the drawer front or the like is reduced, and when the frame 10 is moved in the opposite direction, the width of the drawer front is increased.

In order that the rip saw 8 may follow the contours of the sheet or panel S, the frame 10' is caused to swing about the shaft 20 in response to vertical movements of a guide roller 14 located in approximately the same transverse plane as the rip saw 8. The guide roller 14 is mounted for rotation upon a frame which is fixed to an end portion of the shaft 20. The frame 15 rotates with the shaft 20, and also moves axially with the shaft for a purpose which will be described in detail below.

Also fixed to the shaft 20 for rotation therewith is a framework designated generally by the numeral 25, having a horizontal rail portion 26 disposed beneath the 4 frame 10 carrying the rip saw 8. A ball 27 mounted in a conventional socket 28 (FIG. 2) carried by the frame 10 permits the frame 10 to rest against the rail 26 while at the same time allowing longitudinal movement between the frame 10 and the rail 26. The mounting structure for the socket 23 preferably is an adjustable one so that the distance between the frame 10 and the rail 26 may be regulated by manipulation of a hand wheel 29. Structures of this type are well known in the art and need not be described in detail herein.

When a contoured strip S is fed through the machine, the guide roller 14 will rise and fall in accordance with the contours it encounters. This will cause the frame 15 for the guide roller 14 to swing about the axis of the shaft 20 to rotate the shaft 20 and cause a corresponding swinging movement of the lifting frame 25 fixed to the shaft 20. When the frame 25 swings so that its rail 26 moves upwardly, the ball 27 also will move upwardly and the frame 10 carrying the rip saw 8 will swing about the axis of the shaft 20 so as to elevate the saw 8. By causing the saw 8 to rise and 'fall in accordance with the contours of the strip S, efiicient ripping action all along the length of the strip S is assured.

If a particular operation should not require the severance of the panel S, the rip saw 8 may be inactivated easily and quickly. All that need be done is to rotate the hand wheel 29 so as to greatly reduce the space between the saw support 10 and the ball 27 resting upon the rail 26. This allows the saw support 10 to swing downwardly about the shaft 20 far enough to remove the saw 8 from the level of the moving strip S.

The block structure 24 adjacent the hub portion 19 of the frame 10 is provided with a control arm 30 extending approximately horizontally to a stop device, illustrated more fully in FIGS. 8 to -10. This stop device is supported by an end wall or beam '3 of the machine and comprises parallel crank shafts 32, 33, 34, and 35 each adapted to receive a hand crank 36 on the outer end thereof for manual rotary adjustment of the shaft. The hand crank 36 is provided with a detachable coupling 37 of conventional construction so that it may be applied selectively to any One of the shafts 32-35, as desired. These several shafts are mounted for rotation in brackets '38 and 40 secured to the end wall of beam 3 of the machine, and the major portions of their lengths are threaded.

Four stops are provided at 41, 42, 43 and 44, threaded, respectively, on the shafts 32, 33, 34 and 35. The stop 41 is a vertically extending block member disposed in the plane of the adjustment shafts 32 and 33. The stop 4-1 is threadedly connected to the upper shaft 32, as suggested by the numeral 45 in FIG. 9, and it is provided with an enlarged opening 46 loosely surrounding the lower shaft 33. Thus, the stop 41 must move axially along the shaft 32 when the shaft 32 is rotated by the manipulation of the hand crank 36. In moving longitudinally of the screw shaft 32, the stop 41 is maintained in a vertical position by its association with the lower shaft 33. It should be noted particularly that rotation of the screw shaft 33 has no effect whatever upon the position of the stop 41.

The stop 42 is mounted in a manner similar to that just described in connection 'with the stop 41. In this case, however, the stop 42 is threadedly connected to the lower shaft 33 and is guided by the upper shaft 32. Longitudinal movement of the stop 42 is, therefore, brought about by rotation of the shaft 33.

The stop 43 is threadedly connected to the shaft 34 and is slidable along a stationary guide bar 47. As shown best in FIG. 10, the guide bar 47 prevents rotation of the stop 43, so that rotation of the shaft 34 will cause longitudinal movement of the stop 43.

The remaining one of the stops illustrated in the drawings, that is, the stop designated by the numeral 44, is mounted in a manner similar to that described in connection with the stop 43; The stop 44 is threadedly connected to the crank shaft 35, and it is slidable along a guide bar 48. It will be observed that both of the stops 43 and. 44 are provided with inclined abutment surfaces 49 in position to contact inclined abutment surfaces 50 on the arm 30.

In order for the arm 30 to cooperate with the intermediate stops 43 and 44, it must be urged either upwardly or downwardly. Otherwise, the inclined abutment surfaces 49 would exert a wedging effect tending to shift the arm 30 in a vertical direction so as to disengage it from the appropriate stop 42 or 43*. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the necessary bias for the arm 30 is provided by a pneumatic cylinder 51 (FIGS. 2, 3 and The lower end of the cylinder 51 is connected pivotally to a frame 52. The frame 52 depends from the framework 10 and serves to support the drive motor 12 for the rip saw 8. The piston rod 53'of the cylinder 51 is in turn pivotally conneoted to a bracket member 54 attached rigidly to the block structure 24 on the shaft 20.

When pressure is applied to the cylinder 51 in a direction tending to move the piston rod 53 outwardly, the block 24 will be rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 10, to move the outer end portion of the control arm 30 upwardly. The extent of this motion will be determined by the position of a stationary bar 55 fixed to the end rail '3 of the machine frame.

Similarly, when pressure is applied to the cylinder 51. in such a direction as to cause the piston rod 53 to retract, the block structure 24 will swing in a counterclockwise direction to bring the outer end portion of the control arm 30 into engagement with a stationary bar 56 fixed rigidly to the end rail 3 of the machine frame. The locations of the bars 55 and 56 are such that the abutment surfaces 51 of the arm 30 will be at the proper level for coaction with the abutment surfaces 49 on the stops 43 and 44 when the arm 30 is in one or the other of its extreme positions.

Yet another characteristic of the construction just described deserves special attention. The arm 30 may be moved from the stop 41 directly to the stop 42 without being impeded by the intermediate stops 43 and 44. The beveled surfaces 50 on the arm 30 and the beveled surfaces 49 on the stops 43 and 44 prevent the stops 43 and 44 from halting the arm 30 as it moves from stop 41 to stop 42. This feature of the construction greatly simplities the overall control system.

It will be seen that the pneumatic cylinder 21 and the four stops 41, 42, 43 and 44 provide means by which the rip saw 8 may be brought selectively to any one of four different positions relative'to the fence 4 of the machine so that four different widths of material may be cut in a single sequence, if desired. The widest drawer front would be one formed by the rip saw 8 with the rip saw 8 in a position corresponding to that in which the arm 30 abuts against the outermost stop 42. The block 24 may be brought to this position by actuating the pneumatic cylinder 21 so as to extend its piston rod 22 as far as will be permitted by the stop 42. In this position, the cylinder 51 may be actuated in either direction.

After the first pass of the material through the machine, the pressure on the cylinder 21 may be reversed, and pressure may be applied to the cylinder 51 in' such a direction as to extend its piston rod 53 and move the control arm 30 upwardly. When the cylinders 21 and 51 are actuated in this manner, the arm 30 is free to move to the left in FIG. 8 until it contacts the stop 43. Then its motion must cease. Therefore, the stop 43 fixes the position of the rip saw 8 for the second cut of the material.

In order to condition the system for the third pass of the material through the machine, all that need be done is to reverse the pressure on the cylinder 51 so as to cause the outer end portion of the arm 30' to move downwardly. This downward movement of the arm 30* frees it from the stop 43 and positions it for engagement with the stop 6 44 as the block 24 is moved transversely by the cylinder 21.

The final position of the rip saw 8 is that in which the arm 30 contacts the innermost stop '41. The arm may be positioned against the stop 41 by actuating the cylinder 51 in such a way as to free the arm 30 from engagement with the stop 44. Then the arm 30 will move under the influence of the cylinder 21 as far as is permitted by the stop 41.

-Lt will be understood, of course, that this sequence may be varied when desired by changing the control settings and by changing the shape of one or more of the stops.

It will be seen that the structure and coaction between the several parts of the mechanism is ideally suited to automatic control. It is a feature of the invention that an entire cycle of operations may be set up for repetitive operations, such as those involved in the making of drawer fronts. If, for example, a given article of furniture requires drawer fronts of four different widths, these widths may be established beforehand by rotating the crank shafts 32, 33, 34 and 35, so as to position the several stops 4-1, 42, 43 and 44, in the desired manner.

Thereafter, no further adjustments are required unless a different type of article is to be produced. The machine will go through a repetitive cycle of four different widths of cuts automatically.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the rip saw '8 makes a right angular cut with respect to the sheet or panel being fed through the machine. However, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that different types of cuts may be produced if desired. For example, a tilting arrangement may be provided for the rip saw 8 so that it may cut at an angle other than a right angle.

Moreover, other cutting or shaping devices may be afiixed to the shaft 9 for the rip saw 8, if it is desired to produce some particular shaping operation along the outer edge of the strip being cut. Lips frequently are formed on drawer fronts, and these may be produced by the simple expedient ofadding another cutting device to the spindle 9 inwardly of the rip saw 8.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be'seen that the feed roll v14- is connected to the swinging frame 15 through the intermediary of vertical members 57 extending upwardly from opposite end portions of the frame 15, a mounting bushing 58 carried by the members 57, and a bracket 59 adjustably connected to the member 58. The

. vertical position of the member 59 relative to the member 58 may be controlled in a conventional manner by the manipulation of a suitable knob 59a. This permits the axis of rotation of the roller '14 to be moved up or down relative to the swinging frame 15 for a purpose which will become clear hereinafter.

The member '58 rotatably mounts a shaft 60 driven by a sprocket chain 61. The shaft 60 in turn drives a sprocket chain 62 which is coupled to the roller 14 so as to positively rotate the roller 14. Suitable tensioning for the chain 61 is effected by means of an adjustment device 63 connecting an end portion of the spindle 60 to a frame part of the machine.

The end portion of the swinging frame 15 opposite the shaft 20 carries a rotatable spindle 64 which may be driven by a belt 65 passing around a pulley on the end of the shaft 64 and around the output shaft of a motor 66 mounted on the swinging frame 15.

A The shaft 64 serves to drive a'scoring cutter 67 disposed closely adjacent to the fence 4 of the machine. As the strip or panel S is fed past the scoring cutter 67, a thin line or depression is cut in its outer face at the lower end thereof. This depression is designated generally by the numeral 68 in the drawings. It will be recognized by persons skilled in the art that scoring lines of this character frequently are desired in drawer fronts and the like, as features of ornamentation.

It also is possible to shift the scoring cutter 67out of the cutting plane and into a semicircular recess 67 in the 7 fence 4 (FIG. 4), so as to avoid the cutting of a score line when desired. In order to accomplish this result, the shaft is so mounted that it may be shifted a short distance longitudinally with respect to its axis and transversely of the frame. A cylinder 69 pivotally mounted on the frame of the machine at 70 and pivotally connected to the framework at 71 provides a power source for moving the scoring head when desired. When the cylinder 69 is activated so as to move its piston rod 72, the framework 25 is shifted transversely of the machine. The frame 25 carries the shaft 20 with it, and as a result, the swinging frame 15 also moves transversely of the machine to re-locate the scoring cutter 67 when desired.

Wherever the scoring cutter 67 may be located with respect to the bottom edge of the drawer front being formed, it will be observed that the depth of the scoring line is constant. This is so because of the relationship between the feed roll 14 and the scoring cutter 67 If the strip or panel being formed is contoured, the feed roll 14 will ride up and down, following the contours, and the scoring cutter 67 will move in a similar manner. Thls relationship is depicted in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

If, at any time, it should be desired to vary the depth of the scoring line, this may be accomplished by mani pulating the knob 59a, so as to change the relative positions of the lowermost point on the feed roll 14 and the lowermost point on the cutter 67.

Positive rotation of the feed roll 14 is assured by a chain-and-sprocket drive system illustrated in the drawings so that the strip or panel S will be fed uniformly through the machine. The chain 61 is coupled to a sprocket on a shaft 73 extending transversely of and mounted upon the machine. The location of the shaft 73 relative to the shaft 20 is illustrated clearly in FIG. 2 of the drawings. It is such that the chain 61 will remain taut during pivoting movements of the frame 15.

The shaft 73 also carries a sprocket for driving a chain 74 connected to the shaft of a feed roll 75. The feed roll 75 is mounted in some suitable way so that it may move up and down in accordance with the contours of the strips being worked.

The shaft 73 is in turn driven by a chain 76 leading to a centrally located shaft 77 on the machine frame. The shaft 77 preferably is driven through a suitable gear box 78 actuated by an electric motor 79.

A notcher or grooving cutter is shown at 80 (FIGS. 6 and 7). The grooving cutter 80 is mounted on a shaft 82 journaled in a bracket 83 carried by a swinging frame 84, which is pivotally supported at 86 on the frame of the machine capable of vertical adjustment with respect thereto. This frame 84 swings up and down in response to the contours of the work.

The shaft 82 is driven by a belt 90 from a motor 92 suspended from the swinging frame 84 and capable of being adjusted by a hand screw, as indicated generally at 94. The grooving cutter 80 forms a small groove 95 in the face of the sheet or strip S, as shown in FIG. 7, during passage of the latter over the grooving cutter.

Also mounted on the shaft 82 is a collar 96, which is located immediately beside the grooving cutter 80 to limit the depth of the latter into the sheet or strip S, and thereby limit the depth of the groove 95. The diameter of the collar 96 can be changed by substituting another collar for it on the shaft 82, to vary the depth of the groove 95 when desired.

Up and down movements of the swinging frame 84 in following the contours of the panel S are controlled by means of a link 98 extending upwardly from the frame 84 to an arm 99. The arm 99 is pivotally journaled at 100 upon a transversely extending shaft so that it also may swing up and down in a vertical plane. When the arm 99 swings upwardly, the link 98 moves upwardly to elevate the outer end portion of the swinging frame 84. A pneumatic cylinder unit of conventional construction is employed to connect the upper end portion of the link to the arm 99 in such a manner as to minimize the shock loads on the parts and to urge the parts 84 and 99 together. This unit is designated generally by the numeral 101 in the drawings. It may be adjusted in the usual way, by manipulation of a screw 101a.

At its outer end, the arm 99 serves to rotatably mount a shaft 102 for a feed roll 103. The feed I011 103 is driven by means of a sprocket chain 104 connecting the shaft 102 to a shaft 105 at the end of the machine. The shaft 105 is in turn driven by a sprocket chain 106 extending downwardly and inwardly to the central shaft 77 of the machine.

The shaft 105 also carries a sprocket chain 107 on its opposite end portion for coupling the shaft 105 to the spindle of another feed roll designated generally by the numeral 108. It will be understood that the feed roll 108 is mounted in some suitable way so that it may move up and down with respect to the frame in response to the, contours of the work.

The notcher may be inactivated completely whendesired by manipulating the screw 101a on the pneumatic cylinder unit 101 so as to lower the link 98. This permits the frame 84 to swing downwardly, and the cutter 80 may be disposed entirely below the plane of the work S.

The shaft 86, which supports the swinging frame 84, is so mounted on the machine frame as to be capable of axial lengthwise displacement for varying the position of the groove relative to the bottom edge of the drawer front or strip S. This is accomplished by mounting the shaft 86 slidably in hearings on the frame, and connecting with one end of the shaft a power device, indicated generally at 120. This may be in the form of a pneumatic cylinder or other suitable type of device which will accomplish the desired results. The power device is pivotally supported at one end at 122 on the end frame member 3 and has a piston rod connected through a universal joint, indicated at 124, with the adjacent end of the shaft 86. Thus, upon actuation of the power device 120, the shaft 86 is moved axially to shift the position of the swinging frame 84 and thereby change the plane of operation of the grooving cutter 80 relative to the adja-. cent edge of the drawer front or strip S. In this way, the spacing of the groove can be changed, when desired, with respect to the lower edge of the strip, according to the setting of the power device 120.

The operation of the machine is controlled electrically by mechanism located within a control box, indicated generally at 126 in FIG. 2 and shown more in detail in FIGS. 11 and 12.

The control mechanism includes a rotor, generally indicated at 128, mounted in the box 126 within suitable bearings 130. One end of the rotor 128 has a ratchet device 132 thereon with which a pawl 134 is in engagement. The pawl 134 is actuated by an electromagnet 136 to rotate the rotor 128 step-by-step. The electromagnet is energized each time an output limit switch (FIG. 2) on the fence 4 of the machine responds to the passage of the trailing end of the work S. Thus, the rotor 128 normally moves through one step after each passage of the panel through the machine.

A source of current is indicated generally at 138, which is supplied to the operating parts of the electric control system, under control of a hand switch 140 mounted within the control box 126.

The rotor 128 has a series of cams thereon, generally indicated at 142, for controlling the various operations of the machine. These cams are provided with peripheral notches of suitable number and circumferential disposition to accomplish the desired sequence of operation of the several parts of the machine, an example of which is illustrated in FIG. 12. Each of the cams 142 has, in bearing relation with the periphery thereof, a yieldable switch operating member 144, which member 144 extends to and actuates a spring-pressed switch 146.

There is one switch 146 for each cam and it functions as a stepping switch, as will be evident from FIG. 12.

A cycle light is indicated at 148. This light signals the end of a complete cycle. The circles shown in FIG. 12 are, of course, rotary selector switches, by which the cycles for the various wood working elements in the machine may be established to produce a set of drawer fronts or the like having the desired characteristics. The movable contact of each of the switches, represented in FIG. 12 by a radial arrow, may be selectively positioned to cooperate with any one of the contacts at the periphery of its rotary switch. These various connections permit the cycling of the components to be altered so as to change the characteristics of the set of drawer fronts produced. For the sake of simplicity the connections for the rotary switches are indicated only diagrammatically in FIG. 12 Persons of ordinary skill in the art will have no difliculty in visualizing the actual construc tion.

The leads from a single one of the switches 146 have been illustrated, and these will suffice to clarify the arrangement.

No leads for the lower left rotary selector switch in FIG. 12 have been shown. This selector switch is idle in the condition of the machine depicted in this view.

Each of the switches 146 has three contacts. In FIG. 12 these are marked C, NO, and NC. The contact C is always in the active portion of the circuit, and the switch serves to couple this contact with either the NO contact or the NC contact. As is the usual practice in this field, NO refers to normally open and NC refers to normally closed.

Each of the pneumatic control cylinders is controlled by an electromagnetic valve connected with one of the rotary switches, indicated in FIG. 12, so as to function automatically in response to the operation of the rotor 128.

In ordinary practice, where the machine is used for making drawer fronts, all of the drawer fronts, except the bottom one, will have a score line out at the bottom inside edge by the score line cutter 67, as indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Also, all of the drawer fronts have the bottom receiving groove formed by the cutter 89 on the inside face thereof, as indicated in FIG. 7, but the groove in the bottom drawer front usually is cut nearer the bottom than the others. Where other types of sheets or strips are being formed, either the grooves or the score lines may be omitted, if desired.

Moreover, in the case of drawer fronts, these may be in sets varying from two to four in number. The setting of the machine, and especially the time device shown in FIG. 12, will vary as to number and positions of the cams that are affected, according to the number of pieces to each set that is to be formed. The sets of pieces may be cut consecutively, whereby the machine will operate to make one complete set and then will automatically reset itself immediately to repeat the cycle.

In a representative set of drawer fronts, it may be desirable to out three draw fronts, each four inches wide with a groove one inch from the bottom and with a score line on the bottom edge, and one drawer front six inches wide with a groove five-eighths of an inch from the bottom and no score line which would be the fourth or bottom drawer of the set. In this case, the left contact of cam 142, as viewed in FIG. 12, would be used, this being a normal open contact. The stepping ratchet device operated by the electromagnet 136 provides for operation through a complete cycle, with the switch in the normal position for the first cut and in the tripped position for the next three cuts.

The particular cam 142, which controls the switch 146 of a circuit selected bymanual positioning of the selector switches, is designed to activate the switch 146 to obtain the desired combination of operations during a cycle.

In this particular cycle, the arm 144 would rest on a high portion of the cam for the first cutting operation of the cycle. This would maintain the circuit open since the circuit is connected to the NO contact of the switch 146.

After the rip saw 8 cuts one width from the sheet S, the microswitch is activated by the sheet S. This switch activates the solenoid 136 to rotate the rotor 128. The cam 142 is positioned so that the member 144 engages a depression in the cam. In this position, the circuit is closed and the various cylinders in this circuit are ac mated to move their respective elements. The actuation of the switch 146 operates the electromagnetic valve to actuate the power device 21 to shift the rip saw 8 into engagement with the stop 43 (FIG. 8) to cut a strip of a different width. After a complete cycle, the rip saw 8 is returned to its home position under control of the stop 42.

In order for the saw carrying means to be stopped by the stop 43, it is necessary that the stop arm 30 be raised. The power means '51 is actuated in the same manner as the power means 21 since it is in the same circuit in this particular cycle of operations. This moves the arm 30, upwardly, to engage the stop 43.

The grooving cycle in this example is connected to the same switch contact by the manual selector means. The first cut is made with the switch open, thus allowing the grooving head cutter to remain in the wide position. For the next cut, the circuit has been closed, and the grooving head has been moved to the narrow position by its power device 120.

The scoring head '67 in this instance uses the same switch contact as the saw and grooving heads. The first cut is made with the switch open, allowing the scoring head to remain out of the path of the bottom. For the next cut the circuit is closed, thus moving the scoring head into the path of the bottom of the sheet.

After the second cut is completed, the microswitch is activated again by the sheet S and the rotor is moved. The cam is designed to actuate the switch in this posi tion also. This will result in the same cutting operation as described above. This cam is designed to give the same cutting operation for the fourth pass of the material.

Each cam 42 is designed to actuate its respective switch at different intervals. Each switch 1146 has a normally open contact and a normally closed contact. Each cam, therefore, can produce two different cycles of operation.

The diagrammatic view of the circuit discloses a circuit which is connected to one contact of one switch. The rotary switches are provided with one contact for each NO contact and each NC contact of each of the switches 146. By manual selection of the particular circuit, numerous varied combinations of operations can be obtained.

For another cycle of operation, the manual selector switch of the saw may be turned to connect it with the NC contact of the second switch 146, from the left as viewed in FIG. 12. The saw stops selector switch may be connected to the NO contact of the third switch 146. The grooving cutter selector switch may be connected to the NC contact of the fourth switch 146, and the scoring cutter selector switch may be connected to the NO contact of the fifth switch 146. This would give a different set of operations during one complete cycle.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for severing from a panel a set of strips of different widths and shaping each of the severed strips comprising panel-supporting means along which the panel may be moved, means for pressing the moving panel toward said panel-supporting means, a guide on said panelsupporting means in position to be contacted by one edge of the moving panel so as to fix the position of such edge, a cutter spaced away from said guide for severing the moving panel, means for automatically changing the distance between said guide and said cutter to vary the widths of successive strips severed from said panel, shaping means for shaping an edge portion of each such strip adjacent said guide, automatic means operating independently of the cutter-positioning means for changing the distance between said shaping means and said guide to vary the shaping action produced upon successive strips and both of said automatic means being responsive to a master control to produce a combination of varied operations.

2. Apparatus for severing strips from a contoured panel and cutting a surface portion of each strip comprising horizontally-extending panel-supporting means along which the panel may be moved, a guide in position to contact an edge of the moving panel to fix the path of such edge, roller means bearing against the upper surface of the panel near said guide to press the moving panel toward said panel-supporting means, said roller means being mounted for vertical movements in response to the contours of the moving panel, a first cutter spaced from said guide and said roller means for severing the moving panel, a second cutter disposed between said guide and said roller means for cutting a surface portion of the panel, and means connecting said first and second cutters to said roller means for moving the cutters vertically in response to the contours of the moving panel.

3. Apparatus for ripping a set of drawer fronts of different widths from a single contoured panel comprising horizontally-extending panel-supporting means along which the panel may be moved, a longitudinally-extending guide for guiding one edge of the moving panel, a roller bearing against the upper surface of the panel, a shaft mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis remote from said roller, means fixed to said shaft and rotatably mounting said roller, a rip saw spaced transversely from said guide a distance corresponding to the width of the drawer front being cut, a support for said saw mounted for axial sliding movement along and swinging movement about said shaft, a lifting frame fixed to said shaft and having a transversely elongated rail parallel to and spaced from said shaft, said rail being disposed beneath said support, a socket carried by said support for vertical adjustment toward or away from said support, a ball mounted in said socket for resting against said rail, and means for moving said support along said shaft to vary the position of said rip saw relative to said guide.

4. Apparatus for ripping a set of drawer fronts of different widths from a single contoured panel comprising horizontally'extending panel-supporting means along which the panel may be moved, a longitudinally-extending guide for guiding one edge of the moving panel, a roller bearing against the upper surface of the panel, a shaft mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis remote from said roller, means fixed to said shaft and rotatably mounting said roller, a rip saw spaced transversely from said guide a distance corresponding to the width of the drawer front being cut, a support for said saw mounted for axial sliding movement along and swinging movement about said shaft, a lifting frame fixed to said shaft and having a portion in alignment with said support so that movement of said lifting frame about the axis of said shaft may cause said support to swing the rip saw up or down in response to the contours of the panel, a block structure rotatably and slidably mounted on said shaft in position to contact opposite sides of said support, a control arm connected to said block structure, stationary means for confining said control arm to a limited amount of arcuate movement about said shaft, pneumatic means for selectively urging said control arm to either end of its path of arcuate movement, transversely-spaced adjustable stops located at the level of the ends of the path of arcuate movement of said control arm, and pneumatic means for selectively urging said block structure along said shaft in either direction as far as permitted by said control arm and said stops.

5. Apparatus for forming a set of drawer fronts from a contoured panel comprising horizontally-extending panel-supporting means along which the panel may be moved, a guide in position to contact an edge of the moving panel to fix the path of such edge, feed roller means bearing against the upper surface of the panel near the guide for feeding the panel along the panel-supporting means, said roller means being mounted for vertical movements in response to the contours of the moving panel, a rip saw rotatable about an axis beneath said panel-supporting means, said saw being spaced from said guide a distance corresponding to the Width of a drawer front, means automatically moving said saw toward or away from said guide to vary. the widths of successive drawer fronts of the set, a scoring cutter rotatable about an axis above said panel-supporting means near said guide for scoring the edge portion of a drawer front moving along said guide, means for automatically moving said cutter toward or away from said guide to selectively activate the scoring cutter, a grooving cutter rotatable about an axis below said panel-supporting means for cutting a bottom-receiving notch in the surface of each drawer front, means for automatically moving said grooving cutter toward or away from said guide to vary the location of the grooving cutter in successive drawer fronts of the set, said means for moving said saw and said scoring cutter and said grooving cutter being operable independently of each other, and means connecting said saw, said scoring cutter and said grooving cutter to said roller means for moving said saw, said scoring cutter and said grooving cutter vertically in response to the contours of the moving panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 923,704 Randall June 1, 1909 1,180,842 Goetz Apr. 25, 1916 1,337,286 Stadig Apr. 20, 1920 1,825,041 Babare Sept. 29, 1931 2,091,647 Nicholson Aug. 31, 1937 2,593,745 Gillespie Apr. 22, 1952 2,816,581 Traben Dec. 17, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 201,859 Australia May 10, 1956 668,638 Germany Dec. 7, 1938 

1. APPARATUS FOR SEVERING FROM A PANEL A SET OF STRIP OF DIFFERENT WIDTHS AND SHAPING EACH OF THE SEVERED STRIPS COMPRISING PANEL-SUPPORTING MEANS ALONG WHICH THE PANEL MAY BE MOVED, MEANS FOR PRESSING THE MOVING PANEL TOWARD SAID PANEL-SUPPORTING MEANS, A GUIDE ON SAID PANELSUPPORTING MEANS IN POSITION TO BE CONTACTED BY ONE EDGE OF THE MOVING PANEL SO AS TO FIX THE POSITION OF SUCH EDGE, A CUTTER SPACED AWAY FROM SAID GUIDE FOR SEVERING THE MOVING PANEL, MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID GUIDE AND SAID CUTTER TO VARY THE WIDTHS OF SUCCESSIVE STRIPS SEVERED FROM SAID PANEL, SHAPING MEANS FOR SHAPING AN EDGE PORTION OF EACH SUCH STRIP ADJACENT SAID GUIDE, AUTOMATIC MEANS OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY OF THE CUTTER-POSITIONING MEANS FOR CHANGING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID SHAPING MEANS AND SAID GUIDE TO VARY THE SHAPING ACTION PRODUCED UPON SUCCESSIVE STRIPS AND BOTH OF SAID AUTOMATIC MEANS BEING RESPONSIVE TO A MASTER CONTROL TO PRODUCE A COMBINATION OF VARIED OPERATIONS. 